John Milius: Hollywood Barbarian

Milius was known for his writing ability, his girth, his bravado, his hijinks, his politics. He was skeptical of government and defended the Second Amendment and supported the war in Vietnam. He mocked the counterculture that was on its way to becoming the dominant culture. The hero of the student revolutionaries was Ché Guevara. Milius’ was Theodore Roosevelt.

These were not the dominant opinions in Hollywood. Hippies often wore buttons emblazoned with peace signs and the slogan, “Nirvana Now.” Milius changed the peace sign into the silhouette of a B-52 and replaced the slogan with “Apocalypse Now.” Nor were his antagonisms limited to his generation. One day an instructor told George Lucas that a film of his could not be shown because it would make the other students feel inadequate. Milius punched the instructor in the face.